Hello from Olds, Alberta, Canada. The annual IFAJ Congress is taking place between Calgary and Olds. I missed the opening reception and half of the next day thanks to a flight delay/cancellation in Portland, OR on Tuesday. Sure seems like there are flight problems all over the country based on all the messages I’m seeing and that includes other attendees for this event.

If I was able to be here on time I would have seen Ed White, The Western Producer, receive the Canadian Farm Writer of the Year Award, sponsored by Rabobank Canada. Thank you to Melanie Bernds for sending me a photo and congrats to Ed! Ed was presented the award by Rabobank’s Roxane Lieverse, EVP, Head of Canada.

We have a number of tours taking place. Yesterday I went on the Beef Tour because beef is what is for dinner me very often. We visited a ranch and unique feedlot and then had presentations with the Canadian Cattle Association before eating a prime rib at The Cattle Baron Restaurant. Today, it’s off the Panoka Stampede Rodeo for me. It is a pre-cursor to the Calgary Stampede coming up starting July 7.

I’ve got a lot of photos posted and am getting help from some contributors to add to the album from events I missed or other tours. Tomorrow we’ll learn a lot about the indigenous culture here in Canada and the schedule will conclude with a banquet Sunday where we’ll have IFAJ awards and a passing of the flag to Switzerland where the Congress will be held next year.

Thank you to Alltech for making it possible for me to attend this year’s IFAJ Congress.

Click here for the IFAJ Congress 2023 Photo Album.